ISC CISSP Practice Test 9
Question 80
A previous security situation was: An organization hires privileged cloud engineers through a contractor without documenting acceptable background checks or nondisclosure terms. Now the requirement changes: The contractor switches to a role with no operational access requirement. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Identity, screening authorization, agreement and approval records precede privileged access activation.
- Reassess entitlements and remove administrative privileges in the mover workflow.
- Apply lawful role-proportionate screening and signed confidentiality/access commitments before privileges are issued.
- Grant production administrator access on the contractor's first day before identity verification.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Role change alters least-privilege access even if employment continues. The revised action is Reassess entitlements and remove administrative privileges in the mover workflow.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Identity, screening authorization, agreement and approval records precede privileged access activation.
C:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: Sensitive roles need due diligence and explicit obligations consistent with applicable employment law. It does not directly meet the new condition.
D:This remains inappropriate: Premature privilege issuance exposes systems before trust and contract controls are established.
Question 81
A supplier technician retains a shared service account after maintenance work ends on hospital devices. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Replace shared persistent access with individually accountable just-in-time privileged access and offboarding.
- Keep one perpetual shared administrator password for every supplier technician.
- Use preapproved audited emergency access with review after the session.
- Integrate authoritative HR termination events with prompt logical and physical access revocation.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Named access and expiry support accountability, revocation and least privilege. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
B:Shared permanent credentials prevent attribution and create unmanaged continuing access. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
C:This is appropriate for a later condition (A device emergency requires vendor entry outside normal service hours.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. A controlled break-glass path meets the new availability need without reinstating shared permanent passwords.
D:This response addresses a different condition: An HR offboarding feed arrives two days after employees leave, leaving active sessions and badges valid. The present case requires the measure described by Replace shared persistent access with individually accountable just-in-time privileged access and offboarding.
Question 82
A supplier technician retains a shared service account after maintenance work ends on hospital devices. A designer proposes: Keep one perpetual shared administrator password for every supplier technician. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Shared permanent credentials prevent attribution and create unmanaged continuing access.
- Premature privilege issuance exposes systems before trust and contract controls are established.
- A controlled break-glass path meets the new availability need without reinstating shared permanent passwords.
- Sensitive roles need due diligence and explicit obligations consistent with applicable employment law.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Shared permanent credentials prevent attribution and create unmanaged continuing access. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is a limitation elsewhere: An organization hires privileged cloud engineers through a contractor without documenting acceptable background checks or nondisclosure terms. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
C:This explains a later shift in requirements (A device emergency requires vendor entry outside normal service hours.), not the failure of the current proposal.
D:This is an advantage of another design (Apply lawful role-proportionate screening and signed confidentiality/access commitments before privileges are issued.), not the particular flaw of Keep one perpetual shared administrator password for every supplier technician.
Question 83
A supplier technician retains a shared service account after maintenance work ends on hospital devices. The organization has now implemented this response: Replace shared persistent access with individually accountable just-in-time privileged access and offboarding. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- Access logs link named technician approvals, bounded sessions and removal of supplier rights.
- Termination drills show bounded time to disable identity, tokens, badges and remote credentials.
- Identity, screening authorization, agreement and approval records precede privileged access activation.
- An approved change ticket for Replace shared persistent access with individually accountable just-in-time privileged access and offboarding. without a completed verification result.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Access logs link named technician approvals, bounded sessions and removal of supplier rights. This validates that named access and expiry support accountability, revocation and least privilege.
Incorrect Answers
B:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: An HR offboarding feed arrives two days after employees leave, leaving active sessions and badges valid.
C:This other observation is relevant to: An organization hires privileged cloud engineers through a contractor without documenting acceptable background checks or nondisclosure terms.
D:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Access logs link named technician approvals, bounded sessions and removal of supplier rights.
Question 84
A previous security situation was: A supplier technician retains a shared service account after maintenance work ends on hospital devices. Now the requirement changes: A device emergency requires vendor entry outside normal service hours. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Use preapproved audited emergency access with review after the session.
- Replace shared persistent access with individually accountable just-in-time privileged access and offboarding.
- Keep one perpetual shared administrator password for every supplier technician.
- Access logs link named technician approvals, bounded sessions and removal of supplier rights.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:A controlled break-glass path meets the new availability need without reinstating shared permanent passwords. The revised action is Use preapproved audited emergency access with review after the session.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: Named access and expiry support accountability, revocation and least privilege. It does not directly meet the new condition.
C:This remains inappropriate: Shared permanent credentials prevent attribution and create unmanaged continuing access.
D:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Access logs link named technician approvals, bounded sessions and removal of supplier rights.
Question 85
An HR offboarding feed arrives two days after employees leave, leaving active sessions and badges valid. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Wait for each system owner's monthly access review before disabling departed employees.
- Add tracked property recovery, secure key replacement and legal data-hold handling.
- Apply lawful role-proportionate screening and signed confidentiality/access commitments before privileges are issued.
- Integrate authoritative HR termination events with prompt logical and physical access revocation.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Personnel security depends on timely identity and facility access changes across systems. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:Periodic review cannot replace immediate revocation on a known departure. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
B:This is appropriate for a later condition (A departing engineer has organization-owned keys and laptops stored off-site.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Asset and secret custody is an additional offboarding requirement beyond account disablement.
C:This response addresses a different condition: An organization hires privileged cloud engineers through a contractor without documenting acceptable background checks or nondisclosure terms. The present case requires the measure described by Integrate authoritative HR termination events with prompt logical and physical access revocation.
Question 86
A manufacturer has a high-impact industrial outage scenario; the proposed risk treatment reduces likelihood but residual loss still exceeds approved appetite. Which recommendation should the security leader make FIRST to address the stated objective?
- The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date.
- Select further risk reduction or avoidance, and reassess residual exposure against the new requirement.
- Escalate the residual exposure to the accountable risk owner for a documented treatment decision.
- Let a system administrator accept the remaining enterprise risk without reporting it.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Risk acceptance belongs to authorized owners and must be compared with appetite and tolerances after controls. The scenario is: A manufacturer has a high-impact industrial outage scenario; the proposed risk treatment reduces likelihood but residual loss still exceeds approved appetite.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is useful evidence after implementation, rather than the FIRST recommended decision for this objective. The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date.
B:This addresses a distinct subsequent requirement: Management now rules out accepting the scenario and requires the exposure to fall below its tolerance. A revised appetite constraint calls for additional treatment, not an unchanged acceptance decision.
D:Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk. The rejected action is: Let a system administrator accept the remaining enterprise risk without reporting it.
Question 87
A manufacturer has a high-impact industrial outage scenario; the proposed risk treatment reduces likelihood but residual loss still exceeds approved appetite. A colleague instead proposes: "Let a system administrator accept the remaining enterprise risk without reporting it." Which finding BEST explains why the proposal should be rejected?
- It is inadequate only because of a different later condition: Management now rules out accepting the scenario and requires the exposure to fall below its tolerance.
- No evidence or governance records should be retained when evaluating this 1.9 decision.
- Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk.
- Its only deficiency is a missing executive signature, even if the design still fails the stated requirement.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk. This directly invalidates the proposed action: Let a system administrator accept the remaining enterprise risk without reporting it.
Incorrect Answers
A:The subsequent circumstance is separate and does not explain why this proposed action fails the initial case. A revised appetite constraint calls for additional treatment, not an unchanged acceptance decision.
B:Destroying records would weaken oversight and cannot remedy the immediate technical or governance flaw: Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk.
D:Approval alone cannot fix the specific weakness: Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk.
Question 88
A manufacturer has a high-impact industrial outage scenario; the proposed risk treatment reduces likelihood but residual loss still exceeds approved appetite. After implementing "Escalate the residual exposure to the accountable risk owner for a documented treatment decision.", what evidence BEST demonstrates that the intended security outcome is functioning?
- A declaration that no incident has been reported, without exercising the relevant control.
- A meeting record that the alternate design "Select further risk reduction or avoidance, and reassess residual exposure against the new requirement." was discussed but never tested.
- The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date.
- A note proposing to test this exact 1.9 measure in a future quarter.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date. This verifies the original requirement because risk acceptance belongs to authorized owners and must be compared with appetite and tolerances after controls.
Incorrect Answers
A:Absence of reported incidents is not a controlled validation of the requirement. A stronger proof is: The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date.
B:Discussion of a different design does not demonstrate the deployed control. A revised appetite constraint calls for additional treatment, not an unchanged acceptance decision.
D:An unexecuted future plan does not prove current effectiveness for the stated 1.9 objective. The evidence should include: The risk register shows residual probability and impact, accountable approver, chosen treatment and review date.
Question 89
The organization previously faced this problem: A manufacturer has a high-impact industrial outage scenario; the proposed risk treatment reduces likelihood but residual loss still exceeds approved appetite. Its requirement then changes: Management now rules out accepting the scenario and requires the exposure to fall below its tolerance. Which revised action BEST meets the new requirement?
- Let a system administrator accept the remaining enterprise risk without reporting it.
- Keep the original 1.9 policy unchanged, and defer the newly identified requirement without a risk decision.
- Select further risk reduction or avoidance, and reassess residual exposure against the new requirement.
- Escalate the residual exposure to the accountable risk owner for a documented treatment decision.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:A revised appetite constraint calls for additional treatment, not an unchanged acceptance decision. The appropriate revised action is: Select further risk reduction or avoidance, and reassess residual exposure against the new requirement.
Incorrect Answers
A:The earlier rejected approach remains inappropriate. Technical operators do not automatically possess authority to accept material business risk.
B:The new requirement needs an accountable response, not automatic deferral. A revised appetite constraint calls for additional treatment, not an unchanged acceptance decision.
D:This addresses the original situation: Risk acceptance belongs to authorized owners and must be compared with appetite and tolerances after controls. It does not directly meet the changed requirement: Management now rules out accepting the scenario and requires the exposure to fall below its tolerance.
Question 90
A manufacturing risk assessment scores every scenario 'high' but lacks likelihood assumptions and cannot prioritize investment. A later change introduces this additional requirement: Management wants dollar-based comparison of a proposed safeguard across sites. Select THREE elements that together supply the initial control, objective evidence of effectiveness, and the changed-requirement response. (Select THREE.)
- Rank risks by which executive complained most recently.
- Perform quantitative analysis of estimated event frequency and loss magnitude for each recovery option.
- The analysis documents annualized loss estimates, uncertainty and sensitivity to outage duration.
- Establish a documented scoring method grounded in business impact, likelihood evidence and risk criteria.
- A risk register records scenario assumptions, impact dimensions, likelihood bands and review dates.
- Estimate expected annual loss and reduction using defensible frequency and loss assumptions.
Explanation
Correct Answers
D:Correct — initial control. Common assessed exposure supports rational treatment and investment decisions.
E:Correct — observable control evidence. The relevant result is: A risk register records scenario assumptions, impact dimensions, likelihood bands and review dates. This provides a completed control test rather than an implementation promise.
F:Correct — changed condition. Quantitative risk measures inform cost-benefit tradeoffs beyond ordinal scoring.
Incorrect Answers
A:Incorrect — it fails the original constraint. Executive attention alone is neither probability nor loss magnitude.
B:Incorrect — the measure Perform quantitative analysis of estimated event frequency and loss magnitude for each recovery option. addresses a different case: A manufacturer wants to compare loss from server downtime under different restoration speeds and has reliable annual incident data.
C:Incorrect — this evidence applies to another case: A manufacturer wants to compare loss from server downtime under different restoration speeds and has reliable annual incident data. The specified requirement here is A manufacturing risk assessment scores every scenario 'high' but lacks likelihood assumptions and cannot prioritize investment.